Trudy laughed softly. “I’m just sayin’ it has to be a helluva lot better than this dive. If some rich dude wanted to swoop in and save my ass, I’d be all over that deal!” She laughed. “Come on, honey, isn’t it worth at least asking? You wouldn’t have to stay there forever, just until you get situated better.”
I shook my head. “No, being Cooper’s charity case would be more humiliating than this.”
She started to argue but I had already made up my mind. “I’m going to see if Marco will let me try again.”
Trudy’s face fell, but she stood and gave me a hug. “Whatever you think is best. I’m here if you need to talk.”
“Thanks, Trudy. That means a lot.”
And it did. She was probably right. I was meant for bigger and better things, but for right now, this was all I had and I was only going to get one more chance.
Chapter Seven
Marco reluctantly agreed to let me come back and try again, but he had warned me that this would be my last shot. So, as promised, I was standing off stage, ready to go as soon as he gave the word the next night. I had arrived early to give myself time to apply my make-up and get dressed with the other girls, hoping that a little extra time to get comfortable backstage would help me relax on stage. It took a ton of concealer to make myself look even presentable, the stress and lack of sleep showing in the lines and dark circles under my eyes. I was running on fumes and adrenaline, hardly able to get any sleep the night before. Trudy’s words kept looping through my mind, haunting my fitful dreams as I tossed and turned.
The clock on the wall showed it was a quarter to eight. Fifteen more minutes and I would be called for my performance. I stood against the wall and watched as the other girls got ready together, laughing and talking. I hadn’t seen Trudy backstage yet, and I was kind of glad. I had appreciated her support last night and it had been good to get some of the shit off my chest, but tonight I just needed to focus on doing the job. I didn’t want to catch a glimpse of her pitying eyes and come unraveled again.
This had to work.
Everything depended on it.
My eyes watched the clock, ticking away like a countdown. My nerves were starting to set in, but I kept it together, and did my best to mentally distance myself from the situation.
“Allie Cat!” Marco’s voice squawked over the pathetic excuse for a sound system, and the music started pumping.
Allie Cat, I repeated to myself. I’m Allie Cat. Allie Fucking Cat.
I took a final deep breath and got into character, sashaying through the curtain and out onto the stage. I watched the crowd for a couple of beats, waiting for my music to come on. When it did, my body took over, muscle memory kicking in, and in the blink of an eye I was slinking around the stage, shaking my ass and smiling for all the men in the crowd. My veins were flooded with adrenaline and the catcalls and cheers were all the motivation I needed to burrow deeper into my new alter-ego.
I threw out winks and smiles to nameless faces, most of them lost under the bright lights, making it a skin-colored blur of people as I took a twirl on the pole that was rooted at the center of the stage. My hands skimmed over my body, and I relished in the feeling of my smooth curves. I was getting a sort of high, knowing that I was touching what all of them wanted, but couldn’t have. This was a look, but don’t touch situation, and that gave me the confidence to start to slowly strip off the red corset-style top and reveal the black, see-through bra underneath. I tossed the top to the back of the stage and continued to dance, grinding against the pole and touching myself.
The crowd got even louder as I ran my hand between my legs and I made a circle around the edge of the stage, leaning forward and squatting down for tips. Most of the men pinned cash under the waist of my g-string. A few of them let their fingers linger and my concentration was briefly rattled, but I watched the money stacking up and kept going. I backed away from the crowd and continued to dance, the pace of the music cuing me to get to the finale. I spun around and slowly stripped off the bra, letting my breasts fall into my hands.
“Come on baby! Show us what you got!”
A roar of approval went up from the crowd and I smiled, loving the power of being able to tease them all. I removed my hands and wiggled and jiggled, gyrating my hips and playing with my own nipples—laying my head back and acting the part.
Suddenly, the lights shut off.
The music shifted and in the pitch black, I felt a body pass me. When the lights went back up, the next girl was on stage and ready to dance.
I gathered up the remaining money on the ground and walked off stage, slightly confused at the abrupt ending.
When I stepped backstage, I was met with an all too familiar voice.
“Allison.”
“What the—” I said, finding myself face to face with Cooper.
“Get dressed. We’re leaving,” he said.
“I’m sorry, Allie, but he paid me more than I’m going to make all week to shut this down,” Marco said. I hadn’t noticed him standing behind Cooper. Well, that explained my early curtain call.
“Cooper, what the hell are you even doing here?” I asked. My voice was frantic as I searched the room for something to put on, feeling all too exposed standing in front of Cooper in nothing but a g-string stuffed full of cash.
“Allison, I told you to get dressed. It’s not open for discussion,” he repeated, crossing his arms as if dealing with a difficult child.
His condescending tone was only pissing me off more than I already was. I grabbed a robe off one of the back of the chairs and wrapped it tightly around myself. “There, happy? Now, tell me, right now. What the fuck are you doing here?”